Geoff
Crammond's name is one that stands tall among the pantheon of games
programmers. He's achieved legendary status for his achievements,
and rightfully so. His racing simulations were magnificent for their
time, with incredible attention to detail that was unrivalled by
anything else on the market.

That
being the case, it might seem odd that I've picked a Geoff Crammond
game that doesn't involve racing. In fact, it's about as slow a game
as you'll ever play. But it's incredible. It's The Sentinel.

This is where it all begins...

It's
hard to start trying to categorise this game. So I won't. I'll just
write briefly about the game's objective, which is difficult enough
to describe in itself. The Sentinel is a mysterious being that holds
control over 10,000 worlds. He sits atop a platform at the highest
point of each world, surveying the land and stamping out anything
that affects the balance of energy.

This
life-sapping entity must be removed. A Synthoid is created, with the
ability to absorb energy... including that of The Sentinel. The
Synthoid cannot physically move, and it cannot be seen by The
Sentinel. To move, it must absorb energy from trees and boulders.
It can then create a shell, into which it can teleport. Once the
Synthoid starts to affect the balance of the world's energy, The
Sentinel will detect it and will move to stamp it out.

Never wavering... the steely gaze of The Sentinel is withering.

Once
you know The Sentinel is making his move, there can be a tendency to
really start to panic. Even though the game is very slow, you have
to think fast or you'll be in trouble. Once you feel The Sentinel's
icy gaze, you may never be the same...

It's
a testament to The Sentinel's majesty that, to this day, there hasn't
been a notable copy of its concept. It stands alone as a unique
entity, a one-of-a-kind shining example of the kind of creativity
this country and profession are renowned for. It's constantly
challenging, always enthralling and frequently terrifying. The
Sentinel is simply superb.